Surviving the Mortal World
by hannahbug43
Summary: Percy and Annabeth have survived nearly everything. Now they are back from the giant war in Greece, alive but broken. With no immediate issue to be solved, they decide to tackle their hardest challenge yet; high school.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi everyone(: so I know this story idea is really over done, but I love these stories, so I felt like I should write on too. Hope you enjoy! Please remember to review/follow/favorite or whatever(:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any PJO characters, they all belong to Rick Riordan.**

Annabeth POV

Today is going to be, by far, my hardest challenge I've had to face. I've been practically on my own since I was 7, fighting monsters, running for my life, watching friends die, even surviving...no. I still can't say it. I slide to my floor, back pressed hard against the wall. I clutch my head in my hands and start to curl into a ball. Trying to push the pictures, the memories, out of head, I focus on the truth and my breathing.

In.

My name is Annabeth Chase.

Out.

I'm 17 years old.

In.

I am sitting on the floor of my bedroom in New York City.

Out.

I live with my boyfriend and his parents.

In.

My boyfriend is Percy Jackson.

Out.

We are demigods.

In.

We are alive.

Out.

I hear the door creak as someone pushes it open. My fingers twitch for my knife, but then I remember I don't have it. I shouldn't need it when I'm home. It was the gods gift to keep my house free of monsters after we saved the world again. I look up and see the only thing that has kept me as close to sane as possible this past month. Percy. He walks across the room cautiously, waiting see if I'll have one of my more...severe attacks from the memories. He crouches in front of me, his eyes not once leaving mine.

"Annabeth," he whispers as he gently take my hands in his, pulling them away from the sides of my head. "It's okay. We're okay."

With that, I'm gone. I sob I to his shoulder. I don't know how long we sit, him stroking my hair and me crying. Eventually my cell phone, courtesy of the Hephaestus cabin, goes off. I pull away from Percy. He looks at me with concern and I just nod. He helps me to my feet and glances at the clock beside my bed.

"You should finish getting ready. I know you don't want to go, but you can't leave in pajamas. My mom won't let you leave the house, trust me, I've tried," Percy says. I groan. School. Like I said, horrid day. Don't get me wrong, I love to learn, but school? No thanks. Percy smirks, kisses me, and leaves the room.

I walk over to my phone on the dresser. I have a text from Piper. I haven't seen her since we got back from Greece. I close my eyes and take a shaky breath before the memories can flood back. I unlock my phone and open the message.

_Hey Annie! Can't wait to see you and Perce today, even if its under such gross conditions. :P_

I smile, happy to know she feels the same about going to school. I quickly type a reply.

_First off, don't call me Annie. Second, glad to know I'm not the only one dreading school. Seaweed Brain over here can't contain his excitement. See ya soo_n!

I hit send and toss my phone into my new backpack. After slipping on a pair of jeans, an old camp shirt, and pair converse, I twist my hair up into a ponytail. I grab my bag and head down the stairs towards the kitchen. Sally hands me some toast to go because Percy and I are running late after my episode this morning.

"Now you're sure you have everything? Pens, pencils, notebooks? Assorted weapons, emergency nectar and ambrosia, phones?" Sally asks while she attempts to straighten Percy's hair. He grabs her hand and kisses her cheek.

"Yes, mom. We even have lunches, see?" He holds up two brown paper bags. "Now we have to go or we will be late!"

Sally smiles. "Alright. Be careful. And Percy? Try not to blow this school up."

Percy throws his head back, laughing, and grabs my hand as we walk out the door.

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Please review and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi again everyone! Thank you for reading! Here's chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any PJO characters. They all belong to Rick Riordan.**

Chaos. Only word to describe Goode Highschool. Percy and I were walking to our lockers, which were next to one another, no doubt the working of Paul Blofis. Paul is Percy's step-father, an English teacher at Goode, and our homeroom advisor. Paul also had our schedules nearly identical. The only difference was I had architecture for an elective while Percy had swim practice.

While walking down the halls, so many people called out to Percy, I don't think there's one person in the school that doesn't know his name. Percy had been attending Goode before Hera kidnapped him, and apparently he was popular here too. I noticed some pretty nasty looks from a group of girls looking at our intertwined hands when I heard a shriek.

My hand flew to my hip where my knife was strapped, but Percy stopped me before I could grab it. The shriek came from a girl with straight, unnaturally blonde hair. She picked her way through the hall towards, pursing her overly glossed lips when a freshman didn't move out of the way.

"Percy! Hey, babe! Where have you been?! I was just going to ask you to the winter formal, then POOF! You disappear!" the blonde girl cried placing her hand on Percy's arm. He tensed immediately, gripping my hand tighter. The girl was oblivious to me standing right there. I hated her.

"Paige, I've told you. Don't call me 'babe'. I have a girlfriend, who happens to be standing right here. And I had some...matters to deal with when I left." The blonde girl, Paige, pouted at the word 'girlfriend'. She turned and looked at me. She gave me a once-over and turned back to Percy.

"Hmpf. Well I guess I'll see you at swim practice later today. Bye hun." Paige turned and walked back the way she came from. I stood there for a moment, trying to take in everything that just happened. I turned to Percy with my mouth open about to say something. He put a finger over my lips before I could say anything.

"That was Paige Johnson, school flirt and head cheerleader. I have never had nor will have a thing with or for her," he rushed to explain.

I smiled and said, "oh Seaweed Brain... I know that because you wouldn't do something like that, especially knowing I can kick your butt!"

"Bring it on, Wise Girl!" He poked my ribs and almost started to tickle me, when he was side tackled by a blur of black.

I heard laughter and turn to see my friends watching Percy and the person in black wrestle. The person in black was Nico di Angelo. I smiled at my friends. The seven were all there; Jason was hugging Piper's waist with one arm, Frank and Hazel were holding hands. I looked around, expecting to see Leo tinkering with something from his tool belt or inspecting the craftsmanship of a locker, he wasn't there. The memories flooded back faster than ever and i couldn't stop them. I had just enough time to scream and press my palms to my ears before I blacked out.

**A/N: please review and let me know what you think! Thanks a lot!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi again! Thank you all so much for the reviews and follows! You guys truly make my day(:**

**Disclaimer: all rights to Rick Riordan**

Percy POV

A scream rips through the hall. I shove Nico off of me and see Annabeth with her hands pressed to the sides of her head and her mouth open. Her hands suddenly drop and mouth snaps shut. She opens her eyes, but she isn't there. Annabeth just blankly stares ahead. I surge forward and grab her shoulders. I gently shake her and whisper her name in her ear, hoping to not make a scene in the hallway. She doesn't respond so I look frantically at our friends. They all stare in shock, but Piper quickly recovers.

"'Jason!" She shouts, slapping his arm jolting him out of his shock. "Why would you put a spider on her shoulder?! You know Annabeth is terrified of them!"

Piper puts so much charmspeak into her words I almost believe that's what happened. All the students that have turned to see what all the commotion is about turn away again. I give her a look of gratitude before turning back to Annabeth. Nothing has changed; she still has the empty look in her eyes. My head snaps up looking for a place to take her. I see Paul's room, our homeroom, a few doors down. I wrap my arm around Annabeth's waist and drag her to the room.

Paul is already there, getting things ready for the day. No one else is in the room. He looks up and sees Annabeth. She and I have been living in my mom's apartment long enough for him to know she's having one of her memory panic attacks. Paul rushes forward and grabs a chair. We lower her down to sit in it. He goes to close the door and only then do I notice my friends had followed. I look at them, not knowing what to say. Annabeth and I left Camp Half Blood right after we got back from Greece to live with my mom, so none of them knew what was going on. Frank is the first to speak.

"Perce. What in Hades was that?! Nico tackles you and she turns to see all of us, screams, then stands there like she's a Medusa victim?"

"I- I don't know. This time was different. No one said anything about Rome and it never happens like this," I reply shaking my head. This isn't how Annabeth's panic attacks happen. Normally she just curls into a ball and starts to cry or occasionally call out my name.

"This time? Percy, what just happened? What does any of this have to do with Rome?" Hazel walks up to me and puts her hand on my cheek. "What's going on, Percy? Please."

I open my mouth to explain the attacks Annabeth and I have been having since we were rescued, when Annabeth gasps. I turn to see her with unshed tears in her eyes and her lower lip quivering. She looks absolutely broken.

**A/N: thanks for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you think.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: thanks for reading! You're all so amazing for doing so! **

**Disclaimer: all rights to Rick Riordan**

Annabeth POV

_I trust my knife up into the stomach of the last Cyclops standing before me. He turns to golden dust which settles on my arms. I turn, looking for my next victim, but there aren't any. There aren't any monsters in the clearing anymore, only my friends and me. _

_Jason is coming down from hovering, Percy is walking out of the river with whirlpools calming behind him, and Piper is sheathing her dagger. Frank is changing back from being a dragon and Hazel is kneeling on the ground, holding something in her lap. I don't see Leo, but I think he's behind a wall of flames at the edge of the clearing. _

_Hazel lets out a strangled sob causing everyone to turn to her. Jason starts forward, but stops when he's 10 feet from her. He quickly starts backwards with a look of pure horror on his face. Jason falls while backing up, but doesn't get up. He just sits, clutching fist fulls of grass on either side of him and shaking his head while still staring at Hazel and whatever's in her lap in terror._

_Piper runs to Jason while Frank, Percy, and I start towards Hazel. Frank kneels next to her and wraps her in a hug. Hazel sobs against his chest. I stand next to Percy, grasping his hand. I finally get a good look at what's on Hazel's lap and scream. I lean into Percy and try to stifle my other screams. I scream because what is on Hazel's lap is terrifying. It's unimaginable_. I _scream because_ _before me is our humor, our friend, our captain, our repair boy, our seventh wheel. Before me is the lifeless body of Leo Valdez. _

I come to and see my friends looking at me in pure shock. Percy is at my side with Hazel's hand on his cheek. My vision is blurry and I realize its tears. I open my mouth to say something, but my lips just tremble and a sob escapes. Before Percy can get to me, Piper pulls me into a hug. I let another sob out as I hug her back. She pulls away and looks me in the eye.

"What... Annabeth...what just happened?" She says it so quietly I'm not sure anyone else heard.

Percy kneels in front of the chair I'm sitting in and asks, "Wise Girl, what was it this time?"

"Leo," I say shaking my head trying to get the pictures out. "It was Leo."

** A/N: please review! And about Leo... I really don't want this to happen, but its kind of just my reoccurring theory...**


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